3 years, almost 5 mo

7/7/09 (I found these notes on a brown paper lunch bag as I was clearing my desk for the baby shower and figured I should e-jot them down here.)

Dear Dylan,

You want everything that you see. You say "I want that" at most comercials and previews and stores. You emphasize the "E" sound in pleeeeeeease and think that will helpl. I want to spoil you so much, and probably do a little too much b/c there's always a reason to give in.

On the other hand, I have to put you in time out simply for bothering me. Then it's easier to say no to you. Enough begging, little puppy!

You requsest new batteries for your flash lights. It's pretty funny that you don't just accept things for how they are. You know there's better out there, and you know you deserve it. If your flash light batteries aren't as bright as you know they can be, you want new batteries. It makes sense to you. It's easy for me to say no to that dilema. You need to wait 'til they stop working completely. Still, you figured out if you trade with Isaac and let him have the weaker flash light, he'll wear down the batteries for you. You're pretty smart:) You two use the flash lights to look for bugs and money, by the way.

You're into fransmormers. When I ask what we should get somebody for a birthday gift, you think everybody should get a transformer from us. You want to go to the "free dollar store." That's even funnier typed out. You mean to say "$3 store." That's your way of knowing it's more expensive than just the dollar store. I wish there were only two stores in the world, the $1 and the $3. Life would be grand. You know that things cost money, but have no consept of the fact that money can run out.

You like me to help you with things even if you can do them yourself. You've always been like that. I'm not sure you like being the oldest. You ask me to feed you so feeding time will go quicker. It's rediculous, but I do it sometimes. In fact, if I want to get one less dish dirty, I'll just make two plates. One for me, and one for Daddy. We'll take turns feeding you.

Swimming: You're still taking baby steps. You're not a confident swimmer, but you're proud of what you can do. You snorkel now! We haven't gotten you fins, but the mask and snorkel fit you and you navigate all around the shallow end of the pool with it on. You can float and can do surface dives. You prefer belly flops though:)

You want to know details about animals. I really need to take you to the library so we can focus on one animal at a time and learn all there is to know about it.

Sentence structure: You exclaim "What the heck?!" and "What?! Why the freaking bug is in the house?!" It cracks me up.

I love having individual time with you, (and with your little brother.) Love it. And you.